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{
    "id": 1473330,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1473330/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 421,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murgor",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Speaker. I join my colleagues in airing my views. I support the Bill even though I have suggestions to make. I know that disasters are sometimes weather-based and may occur in a year, but not occur in the following year. It is different from one area to another because of that. In some areas that are dry as West Pokot and many other places, it is very difficult to manage disaster when it is based on water or rain. When floods take place, it is very difficult because sometimes, it gets to a bare ground that does not have trees to keep the water from catching momentum or speed. There is no grass on the banks of the river therefore, a river breaks its banks and goes into homes and so on. It is therefore very unpredictable to know what is going to happen in a season of rain or drought. It is also regional, so there is needs for a study. For example, a colleague has mentioned that Budalangi is predictable and not unpredictable. However, because of the history that a place such as that has, the technicality that there is can prepare the people that live in that area so that it is managed according to the history of that place. It requires a mechanism, some of which require education. In my opinion, the national Government should prepare the policies nationally and then devolve to county levels who will be the ones that will implement them. This is because they are probably some of the areas that are affected by these conditions according to history and geographical settings from place to place. Madam Temporary Speaker, the county should be prepared and be given the capacity to manage because they are the ones living with the people that are affected. Remember in West Pokot, there was a landslide that affected many areas, more than divisions and it washed out homes, people and killed many people. It was the county government that first responded before everybody else did therefore, putting the county government in a position that should be empowered to be able to respond to such disasters when they happen. There are challenges that come along with that and one of these challenges is the speed at which the Government responds, either nationally or at the county level. Sometimes, the faster the action is taken, the better and the sooner it will help the people that are affected. However, sometimes, there is slowness and the slow pace we take leaves people devastated and vulnerable because we have taken long to respond. Madam Temporary Speaker, some of the shortcomings include corruption. Someone talked about stealing food and selling it. A lot of that happens when there is a disaster and contributions have been made including blankets and food. People take advantage of that. They take that stuff for themselves instead of distributing and making sure that they go to the people who deserve them. A disaster sometimes creates another disaster when the contributions that are made are not given to the victims. When we think about managing a disaster, we should also learn how to be transparent so that we manage corruption. This is because there is a lot of exchange of hands that takes place at that time which is not needed, such that, whatever is meant to The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}